Environment 101 > Renewable Fuels
renewable fuelsrenewable: Relating to or being a commodity or resource, such as solar energy or firewood, that is inexhaustible or replaceable by new growth. (1) 1. "renewable." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.
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Articles about
Renewable FuelsFungus to power cars? It sounds crazy, but it could happen By Hallie Woods  You've heard of corn blended into fuel, or dirty vegetable cooking oil being filtered and dumped into special engines. But, the answer to an evolving fossil fuel problem may be deep in the Patagonian rainforest.Researchers at Montana State University discovered a fungus burrowing in the branches of a South American tree which produces a type of biodiesel fuel. The fungus, Gliocladium roseum, came back with Professor Gary Strobel in 2002 when he collected the tree branches in the rainforest. Researchers found that under limited-oxygen conditions... Read more... Lower gas prices not good for everyone: Decreasing oil prices take fuel out of renewable energy's fire By Hallie Woods  When summer hit and gas prices soared, alternative energy sources and renewable fuels were the subject of every dinner conversation, political agenda and newspaper article.Now, as gas prices fall dramatically and people wipe their brows at the pump, some say renewable energy has lost the wind beneath its wings. "Certainly high gasoline prices increase the individual and national push for more renewable resources, with the thought that these alternatives will be cheaper, or more secure," said Alan Wiggins, director... Read more... Loan prompts new innovation By Hallie Woods  New green vehicle technology could be just on the horizon.Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a rule under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 providing $25 billion in funds for the research and development of new automotive technologies. Congress currently has $7.5 billion set aside to get the loans going. It sounds dry, but the loans will actually equip qualified manufacturers with resources to create advanced vehicles that must provide meaningful improvements in fuel economy performance. There, that's the exciting part. The new initiative, called the Advance Technology... Read more... American biofuel blend takes flight By Hallie Woods  Several days after the New Year rolls in, Continental Airlines will take a huge step in "green" history.
Aboard a Boeing 737-800 on Jan. 7, Continental pilots will fly the first demonstration flight in America running, in part, on biofuels."Continental has a long-standing commitment to environmental responsibility," said Susannah Thurston, a Continental spokeswoman. "We've reduced our fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 35 percent since 1997. This biofuel demonstration flight represents an additional small step in this commitment." The demonstration flight will be the first flight by a commercial carrier using... Read more...
Facts about
Renewable FuelsWhat are Renewable Fuels? "Renewable fuels are those derived from sources that are quickly renewed by the earth's natural processes. The five renewable fuels used most often are biomass, hydropower, geothermal, wind and solar" (The U.S. Energy Information Administration). Why Renewable Fuels are Important Historically, low fossil fuel prices, especially for natural gas, have made growth difficult for renewable fuels despite a number of State and Federal Government incentives, including the Energy Policy Acts of 2002 and 2005 that have encouraged the production and use of renewable fuels. Even with these incentives, the renewable fuels' share of the "energy pie" in the United States is not expected to change much over the next 25 years because we will also be using more non-renewable fuels. The use of renewable sources is also limited by the fact that they are not always available (for example, cloudy days reduce solar energy, calm days mean no wind blows to drive wind turbines, droughts reduce water availability to produce hydroelectricity). Despite these limitations, renewable energy plays an important role in the supply of energy. When renewable energy sources are used, the demand for fossil fuels is reduced, and, unlike fossil fuels, most renewable sources do not directly emit greenhouse gas, which helps reduce their negative impact on the environment. How can I support Renewable Fuels? 1. Investigate your city or state's tax incentives for installing solar power systems in your home. 2. Research legislation in your state that supports the research and development of renewable fuel technologies and vote for it. 3. Use local public transportation (buses, cabs, trolleys) that runs on renewable fuels like biodiesel or vegetable oil. 4. Purchase Renewable Energy Credits. Information used in this section was found at the Energy Information Administration's website. Renewable Fuels TipsHave a tip about Renewable Fuels that you would like to share with us? Tell us about it! |
